Visual coupling indicator for automatic railway car couplers

ABSTRACT

An indicator connected to a movable locking member of an automatic type railway car coupler for indicating the locked or unlocked position of the locking member and, therefore, the coupled or uncoupled condition of the coupler, said indicator being readily visible from both sides of the coupler or train.

United States Patent [1 1 Bridigum et a1.

[ VISUAL COUPLING INDICATOR FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CAR COUPLERS [75] Inventors: Robert J. Bridigum, Pittsburgh;

Renaldo A. Nebiolo, Irwin, both of [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa.

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1974 211 App]. No.: 457,818

[52] US. Cl. 213/75 R, 213/100 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B61g 3/10 [58] Field of Search 213/75 R, 100 R, 100 W,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,181,708 5/1965 Cope 213/104 [451 Feb. 11, 1975 Metzger 213/100 R Wright 213/159 Primary E.raminerLloyd L. King Assistant ExaminerGene A. Church Attorney, Agent, or FirmR. W. Mclntire, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An indicator connected to a movable locking member of an automatic type railway car coupler for indicating the locked or unlocked position of the locking member and, therefore, the coupled or uncoupled condition of the coupler, said indicator being readily visible from both sides of the coupler or train.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3. 865.252

SHEET 10F 3 VISUAL COUPLING INDICATOR FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CAR COUPLERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although in some instances automatic type car couplers, such as those used for rapid transit equipment in which the cars, the air lines, and electrical circuits are all connected concurrently and automatically when the cars are brought together, are provided with some visual means for indicating that coupling has been positively effected, such visual indicators may be visible only from one side of the train on one of the mating heads and from the opposite side of the train on the counterpart mating head. If a crew man wishes to ascertain that both heads have, in fact, coupled, he must observe the indicator means from both sides of the train, in which case he may have to pass under the coupler between the cars and risk being injured if the train moves unexpectedly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide visual indicator means for use on automatic railway car couplers whereby the coupled condition of both mating heads of the coupler may be ascertained from either side of the train.

Briefly the invention comprises a flexible indicator member having one end axially aligned with and connected to a movable locking member of the coupler device. The flexible indicator member is encased and freely movable in a conduit member or tube having one end fixed to the coupler device in such position that the free end thereof and of said flexible indicator are visible from both sides of the train. The length of the flexible indicator member coincides substantially with that of the enclosing tube so that when the locking member of the coupling device has moved into a locked position, in which coupling has been accomplished, the flexible indicator member is wholly retracted within the enclosing tube and the free end thereof is not visible. If the locking member, however, is not engaged in a locking position but remains in a disengaged position, the free end of the flexible indicator member extends outside and beyond the free end of the enclosing tube, thus indicating that coupling has not been accomplished. The protruding end of the indicator member, as was above noted, is so disposed as to be visible from both sides of the train.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a vertical frontal view, in outline, of an automatic type car coupler showing the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view, in outline, of the car coupler shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is asectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 2 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view, in outline and on a larger scale than FIGS. 1 through 3, of the coupler device component to which the invention is connected;

FIG. 5 is an end view, in outline, of the component shown in FIG. 4 as viewed from the left thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, in outline,

of the component shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; and FIG. 7 is a side view, in section, showing the manner in which the invention is assembled to the car coupler.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, reference numeral 1 generally designates a mating head which with a counterpart mating head (not shown) comprises an automatic railway car coupler, said mating head comprising a coupling portion or head 2 and an electrical connecting portion 3 supported thereon, the entire mating head being supported on the car by a mounting 0 bar 4 forming part of and extending axially from the coupling portion so as to be connected to the end of a draft gear (not shown) of the vehicle.

Each of the mating heads is also provided with a coupling pin, designated by reference number 5 on mating head 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, projecting horizontally from the face thereof parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car and offset to one side of the vertical center line of the mating head. As the mating heads move toward a coupled relation, the respective coupling pins are engaged by the opposite respective mating heads. Thus, a coupling pin 6 (see FIG. 3) of the counterpart mating head (not shown) is guided into such engagement by entering an aligned funnel shaped depression or gathering cone 7 formed in the face of the coupling portion 2 as shown on the mating head 1 in FIG. 1. The leading end or nose of coupling pin 6 (as well as coupling pin 5) is tapered to a rounded end so that, upon entering gathering cone 7 of mating head 1, said tapered nose makes contact with the inner edge of a spur portion 8 formed on a locking member 9 operably disposed in coupling portion 2 perpendicularly relative to the coupling pin which, upon movement into said gathering cone, forces axial displacement of said locking member in a right-hand direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, to an unlocking position.

The locking member 9 includes a cylindrical cup-like portion 10 which, along with axial movement of said locking member, is slidably reciprocable within a coaxial bore 11 formed in the casing of coupler portion 2. When the mating heads have moved into complete abutting contact upon completion of coupling operation, coupling pin 6 of the counterpart mating head will have been received completely by gathering cone 7 of mating head 1 and occupies a coupled position in which a transverse notch 12 formed in said coupling pin is aligned oppositely to spur 8. When such alignment occurs, a spring 13 compressed between the bottom of cup-like portion 10 and the inner side of a side wall 14 of the casing urges locking member 9 in a righthand direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, to cause spur 8 to be firmly lodged in notch 12 of coupling pin 6 for locking said pin in its coupled position. A similar action occurs when coupling pin 5 of mating head I is engaged by the counterpart mating head, so that the two mating heads comprising the coupler are effectively and positively locked in a coupled relationship.

The coupler portion 2 is provided with power operated piston means including a striking member 15 for effecting unlocking of locking member 9 from coupler pin 6 when uncoupling operation is initiated. When the power operated piston means is subjected to a sudden burst of fluid pressure, the striking member 15 is caused to deliver a hammer-like blow to the cup-like portion 10 for effecting leftward movement of locking member 9 to its unlocking position in which spur 8 is dislodged from notch 12 of pin 6. Subsequent to disengagement of coupling pin 6 and dissipation of fluid 3 pressure from the piston means at'a Controlled restricted rate, the striking member and the locking member 9 are restored to respective normal positions by a spring 16 acting on said striking member in the same direction as spring 13 acting on said locking member, said normal position and the locking position, above described, of said locking member being the same except that in the normal position the coupling pin is disengaged and in the locking position the coupling pin is engaged.

According to the invention, locking member 9 is provided with a rod 17 having one end at and extending coaxially from the bottom of cup-like portion 10, the length of said rod being such that the other end thereof extends into an aligned opening 18 formed in side wall 14 and is flush with the outer surface of said side wall when locking member 9 is in either its normal or looking position. When locking member 9 is moved to its unlocking position, above described, rod 17 is accordingly extended out of opening 18 and beyond side wall 14 an amount corresponding to the amount of movement of the unlocking member.

As may be seen in the enlarged views of FIGS. 4,5, and 6, the end of rod 17 adjacent side wall 14 is provided with an axially disposed slot 19 and a bore 20 extending diametrally through said end of said rod and transversely intersecting the slot. Slot 19, as shown in FIG. 7, is adapted to receive an end loop 21 of a flexible coil spring 22, whereupon a pin 23 is fixed in bore 19 and passes through said end loop so as to retain it in the slot.

A tube 24 has one end securedto side wall 14 in opening 18 by any suitable means such as a pipe fitting 25 extending horizontally from side wall 14 in axial alignment with rod 17. The inner diameter of tube 24 and fitting 25 is large enough to accommodate free movement of the end of rod 17 and spring 22. Tube 24,

at a suitable point, curves downwardly and rearwardly relative to coupling portion 2, as may best be seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing, such that a terminating free end 26 thereoflies in a plane passing through a space designated generally by reference numeral 27 and whose upper and lower limits are defined by said coupling portion and the electrical coupling portion 3. Thus, an unobstructed view of end 26 of tube 24 may be had through space 27 from both sides of the train. It should be apparent that tube 24 does not necessarily have to be curved in the direction above described. Tube 24, for example, could be bent upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 2, so as to have the end 26 thereof extend beyond the upper limit of the coupler portion 2, as shown in broken outline in FIG. 2. In this disposition, end 26 of tube 24 is also visible from both sides of the train, but is more susceptible to having water and other foreign matter enter thereinto, which is not desirable.

Coil spring 22 is of such length that when locking member 9 is in either its normal or lockingpositi'on, said spring assumes a wholly retracted position within tube 24. Coil spring 22 is flexible enough to move freely longitudinally within tube 24 but of sufficient rigidity as to follow the axial movement of rod 17 fixed to locking member 9. Thus, when locking member 9, during uncoupling operation, is operated to its unlocking position, above defined, spring 22 is moved through tube 24 to an extended position in which a free end 28 of said spring is caused to protrude from end 26 of said tube, as shown in broken outline in PK). 2, to an extent corresponding to the amount of axial movement of said locking member and rod 17 from the locking position to the unlocking position.

If locking member 9, during a subsequent coupling operation, for any reason fails to move to its locking position, spring 22 is retained in its extended position with end 28 protruding'from end 26 of tube 24. The protruding end 28 of spring '22 thus provides a visual indicator, visible from both sides of the train, indicating that the coupling operation has not been completed and that corrective steps should be taken.

It should be understood, that the counterpart mating head (not shown) is also provided with a tube and spring similar to tube 24 and spring 22 and arranged in similar fashion, as above described in connection with mating head 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, a suitably located bracket 29 has one end securely bolted to the casing of coupling portion 2 and the other end surrounding and firmly clasping tube 24 to assure retainment of said tube in its proper disposition.

Having now described the invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A visual coupling indicator for use with a railway car coupler comprising a casing for a mating head disposed axially parallel to the axis of the car for mating with a counterpart mating head, said casing being of predetermined vertical dimension defined by upper and lower limits and having operably disposed therein a movable locking member biased to a locking position, in which a coupling pin of the counterpart mating head is engaged for locking the mating heads in a coupled relation, and being operable to an unlocking position in which the coupling pin of the counterpart mating head is disengaged for releasing the coupled relation, said visual coupling indicator comprising:

a. a tubular member disposed externally of the casing with one end fixed to the side thereof adjacent to and in alignment with the line of movement of the locking member, said tubular member being curved such that the other end thereof extends beyond one of the upper and lower limits of the casing; and

b. a flexible indicator member having one end connected to the locking member for movement therewith and extending therefrom through said tubular member, said flexible member being of such length as to be fully retracted within the tubular member when the locking member is in its said locking position, and to have the other end thereof extending exteriorly of said tubular member when the locking member is in its said unlocking position.

2. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the movement of locking member is normal to both the axis of the car and the vertical dimension of the casing.

3. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein radial clearance is provided between the peripheral limits of said indicator member and the internal diameter of said tubular member to provide free relative movement therebetween.

4. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said indicator member comprises a flexible coil spring of predetermined length.

5. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tubular member curves away and downwardly from its said one end so as to have the other end thereof disposed beyond the lower limit of the casing.

6. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by means for securing said tubular member in a fixed selected position relative to the casing. 

1. A visual coupling indicator for use with a railway car coupler comprising a casing for a mating head disposed axially parallel to the axis of the car for mating with a counterpart mating head, said casing being of predetermined vertical dimension defined by upper and lower limits and having operably disposed therein a movable locking member biased to a locking position, in which a coupling pin of the counterpart mating head is engaged for locking the mating heads in a coupled relation, and being operable to an unlocking position in which the coupling pin of the counterpart mating head is disengaged for releasing the coupled relation, said visual coupling indicator comprising: a. a tubular member disposed externally of the casing with one end fixed to the side thereof adjacent to and in alignment with the line of movement of the locking member, said tubular member being curved such that the other end thereof extends beyond one of the upper and lower limits of the casing; and b. a flexible indicator member having one end connected to the locking member for movement therewith and extending therefrom through said tubular member, said flexible member being of such length as to be fully retracted within the tubular member when the locking member is in its said locking position, and to have the other end thereof extending exteriorly of said tubular member when the locking member is in its said unlocking position.
 2. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the movement of locking member is normal to both the axis of the car and the vertical dimension of the casing.
 3. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein radial clearance is provided between the peripheral limits of said indicator member and the internal diameter of said tubular member to provide free relative movement therebetween.
 4. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said indicator member comprises a flexible coil spring of predetermined length.
 5. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tubular member curves away and downwardly from its said one end so as to have the other end thereof disposed beyond the lower limit of the casing.
 6. A visual coupling indicator, as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by means for securing said tubular member in a fixed selected position relative to the casing. 